Sewing-machine



v (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. H. SMITH.

SEWING MACHINE.

No. 537,861. Patented Apr. 23,1895.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' L. E. SMITH.

SEWING MAGHINE. No. 537,861. Patented Apr. 23, 1895.

lln'rrnn STATES PATENT ri rcn,

LEWIS I-I. SMITH, OF HELENSBURG, SCOTLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGERMANUFACTURING COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,861, dated April23, 1895. Application filed November 16, 1894:. Serial No. 529,005 (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS H. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Helensburg, in the county of Dumbarton, Scotland,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

In sewing machines constructed to sew si- IO m'ultaneously a number ofrows of stitches, and in whicha plurality of disk-like shuttles areemployed, difficulty has been experienced in placing and maintainingtheseveral shuttles in their proper positions in the race-way I5 when.the shuttle race is opened, and consequently, in closing the shuttlerace, risk is incurred of breaking or crushing the beaks or other partsof the shuttles; and as the shuttle race rnustbe opened for removing theshuttles 2o much time is consumed in positioning the shuttles, atfrequent intervals.-

The object of my invention is to overcome the difficulty referredto byproviding a spring guide or holder for automatically engaging 2 5 andholding the several shuttles in their proper positions in theirrace-ways when the shuttle-race is opened, while permitting of the easywithdrawal and insertion of any one or a number of the shuttles withoutdisplacing the others; the guiding and holding device beingautomatically lifted out of the way by the closing of the shuttle race.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- 5Figure l is a transverse vertical section through the bed plate andshuttle race of the gang-shuttle sewing machine, the shuttle-race beingshown opened. Fig. 21s asimilar view in which the shuttle-race is seenin elevation and closed. Fig. 3 is a plan corresponding to Fig. 1, thebed plate being removed to show the shuttle race and the spring shuttleholder or guide, and Fig. 4 is an inverted plan of the spring guide orshuttle holding device at- 4 5 tached to the shuttle race slide orcover. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating a modification. The machineis formed with a circular shuttle race grooved for a plurality ofshuttles. This race consists of a front section A and a rear section Bthe latter being immovably fixed to the under side of the bed plate 0 ofthe machine while the front section is hinged to the rear section at D,a spring catch or like device E being attached to the front section Aand adapted for engagement with 5 5 the rear section B to lock the twosections firmly together in working position when the front section isclosed.

J is theoscillating shuttle-operating shaft and J the shuttle driverconstructed in the usual manner to actuate a series of shuttles.

For the purpose of supporting and positioning the shuttles F in thegrooves or race-ways Ct I provide a spring guide or shuttle holdingplateG which is preferably secured to the shuttle race slide H, asshown, or it may be secured to the bed plate 0 or other part of themachine. The free end of this holder or guide G extends over the shuttlerace and is preferably serrated or of com b-like formation, having teethg and intervening notches g, the latter receiving the peripheries of theshuttles F, when the shuttle race is opened as in Fig. 1, While theteeth 9 fall between the shuttles and hold them in place laterally. Whenthe race is opened as shown at Fig. 1 the serrated end of the springholder or guide G automatically drops down into engagement with theshuttles F, but on the closing of the shuttle race as shown at Fig. 2the upper end of the hinged part A of said race presses up the springholder or guide and raises it out of engagement with the shuttlesimmediately the said part A of the shuttle race has itself entered intoengagement with the shuttles. The guide or holder G is formed with slots9 through which screws are passed, adj ustably securing it to theshuttle race slide or other part of the machine.

The guide or holder G, instead of being 0 formed by a spring plate, maybe hinged or pivoted to the bed plate or other part of the machine andbe pressed down bya spring 9 as shown in Fig. 5.

Having thus described my invention, I 9 claim and desire to secure byLetters llatent 1. In a gang-shuttle sewing machine, the combinationwith a plurality of shuttles, and a shuttle race constructed for thereception IOO of the same and consisting of a fixed and a hinged ormovable part, of an independent shuttle holder whichis yieldingly forcedinto engagement with said shuttles when the shuttle race is opened, soas to hold them in the fixed portion of the race, and which is soarranged as to be disengaged from the said shuttles by the said hingedor movable part of the race when the latter is closed.

2. In a gang-shuttle sewing machine, the combination with a plurality ofshuttles and a shuttle race constructed for the reception of the sameand consisting of a fixed anda hinged or movable part, of a shuttleholder consisting of a serrated or notched springplate which by its ownstress is forced toward and into engagement with the said shuttles whenthe shuttle race is opened, and which is so arranged as to be disengagedfrom the said shuttles by the said hinged or movable part of the racewhen the latter is closed.

3. In a gang-shuttle sewing machine, the combination with the shuttlerace consisting of the fixed part B and the part A hinged thereto, ofthe shuttles F, the slide II, and the shuttle holder G consisting of aspring-plate attached to said slide and having a series of notches atits free end to engage the said shuttles.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LEWIS H. SMITH.

St, Glasgow, Law Clerks.

